Figure of speech
to |2259|12}} A metaphor was a term or phrase used to make a comparison between two common things that were not alike. Synonymous terms included analogy or figure of speech, in which colorful metaphors might be used to express emotion. Idioms had phrasing that had figurative meaning often unrelated to the actual phrasing, while proverbs were commonly sourced from folklore, historical allusion, or tribal memories. Adages "Look before you leap." ( ) ::Specifically: "to look before I leap." Claimed to be an antiquated adage by Seven of Nine. "Captain goes down with the ship." ( ) ::Kathryn Janeway also considered this one of three things to remember about being a starship captain on one occasion. ( ) Picard also once referenced an old horse trainer's adage about putting too much weight on a young back. ( ) Aphorisms "A watched pot never boils." ( ) "The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing." ( ) "One cannot cheat fate." ( ) Blessings Idioms "A bit" ( ) "A fool's errand" ( ) "A matter of principle" ( ) "A one-way street." ( ) "A paragon of virtue" ( ) "After a fashion" ( ) "A living legend" ( ) "All in all" ( ) "All right" ( et al.) "All the best" ( ) "All the same" ( ) "All the time" ( et al.) "All the way" ( ) "A rose by any other name" ( ) "Around the clock" ( ) "As a last resort" ( ) "As a matter of fact" ( et al.) "As (quickly) as the next man" ( ) "As you wish" ( ) "A slip of the tongue" ( ) "As always" ( ) "As a matter of fact" ( ) "A shot across the bow" ( ) "As usual" ( ) "As yet" ( ) "As you wish" ( ) "At a loss for words" ( ) "At a time" ( ) "At all costs" ( ; ) "At any rate" ( ) "At best" ( ) "At heart" ( ) "At least" ( ) "At liberty" ( ) "At odds with (the ship)" ( ) "At once" ( ) "At (our) disposal" ( ) "At present" ( ) "At some length" ( ) "At stake" ( ) "At that rate" ( ) "At the moment" ( et al.) "At the time" ( ) "At the outside" ( ) "At the same time" ( ) "At this moment" ( ) "At this point" ( ; ) "At will" ( ; ) "At (your) convenience" ( ) "At your service" ( ) "A wide berth" ( ) "Back(ed) into a corner" ( ) "Bag of tricks" ( ) "Barrel of laughs" ( ) "Bear in mind" ( ) "Be crystal clear" ( ) "Behind (my) back" ( ) "Bill of health" ( ) "Birds in a gilded cage" ( ) "Bits and pieces' ( ) "Bitten off more than we can chew" ( ) "Bleeding heart" ( ) "Bold as brass" ( ) "Brave new world" ( ) "Break his heart" ( ) "Bring (brought) the house down" ( ) "Burning the midnight oil." ( ; ; ) "Business is business" ( ) "Buttering our bread" ( ) "By all means" ( ) "By the way" ( ) "Calculated risk" ( et al.) "Carry on" ( ) "Checks and balances" ( ) "Checkup" ( ) "Chew(ed) (you) out" ( ) "Child's play" ( ) "Climb a tree" ( ) "Climbing the walls" ( ) "Cloak-and-dagger" ( ) "Cloud the issue" ( ) "Come now" ( ) "Course of action" ( ) "Cut(ing) it (a bit) fine" ( ) "Display of force" ( ) "Do (me) a favor" ( ) "Don't mention it" ( ) "Draw(ing) a line" ( ) "Draw(ing) lots" ( ) "Drop (my) guard" ( ) "Either way" ( et al.) "End in view" ( ) "Even the score" ( ) "Excuse me" ( et al.) "Eye-opener" ( ) "Face up to (it)" ( ) "Fibber" ( ) "Fire away" ( et al.) "Fits like a glove" ( ) "Flesh and blood" ( ) "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." ( ; ) "For example" ( ) "For instance" ( ; ) "For one thing" ( ) "For that matter" ( ) "For the life of me" ( ) "For the moment" ( et al.) "For the time being" ( ) "For your information" ( ) "For (your) sake" ( ); "For (your) (own) sake" ( ) "For whatever it's worth" ( ) "Freak of nature" ( ) "Gang up on (you)" ( ) "Get (my) hands on (the guy with the sledgehammer)" ( ) "Get on" ( ) "Get on with (the job)" ( ) "Get to the point" ( ) "Get out" ( ) "Get to the point" ( et al.) "Get the idea" ( ) "Give the word" ( ) "Give (Gave) up the ghost" ( ) "Go ahead" ( ; ) "Go easy on (her)" ( ) "Good day" ( ) "Good luck" ( ) "Good morning" ( ) "Good to see you" ( ) "Go to the devil" ( ) "Ham-handed" ( ) "Hard feelings" ( ) "Have a word with (you)" ( ) "Heart of the matter" ( ) "Heaven forbid" ( ) "Hell for leather" ( ) "Here and now" ( ) "Hit the broad side of a barn" ( ) "If and when" ( ) "If only" ( ) "If you like" ( ) "If you will" ( ) "In addition to" ( ; ) "In error" ( et al.) "In a flash" ( ) "In a manner of speaking" ( }) "In a minute" ( ) "In a moment" ( ; ); "In just a moment" ( ) "In any case" ( ) "In a pig's eye" ( ) "In a sense" ( ; ) "In a vacuum" ( ) "In a way" ( ) "In advance" ( ) "In advance of" ( ) "In blazes" ( ) "In case" ( ) "In fact" ( et al.}) "In full force" ( ) "In good hands" ( ; ) "In good shape" ( ) "In (his) own time" ( ) "In (his) own way" ( ) "In line" ( ) "In love" ( ) "In my opinion" ( et al.}}); "In my view" ( ) "In my time" ( ) "In order" ( ; ) "In order to" ( et al.) "In store (for us)' ( ) "In our favor" ( ) "In (our) hands" ( ) "In other words" ( ) "In plain (non-Vulcan) English" ( ); "In plain English" ( ) "In question" ( et al.) "In session" ( ) "In store (for them)" ( ) "In terms of" ( ) "In that case" ( et al.) "In the course of time" ( ) "In the dark" ( ) "In the event" ( ) "In the first place" ( ) "In the light of" ( ) "In the line of duty" ( ) "In the manner of (the people)" ( ) "In the meantime" ( et al.) "In the middle" ( ) "In the midst of" ( ) "In the name of" ( ); "In the name of (heaven)" ( ); "In the name of (civilization)" ( ); "In the name of (my people)" ( ) "In the process" ( ) "In the wink of an eye" ( ) "In the wrong" ( ) "In time" ( et al.) "In view of (its size)" ( ) "I see" ( et al.) "It's all right" ( ) "Just a minute" ( ; ) "Just a moment" ( ) "Keep the home fires burning." ( ) "Kind of (a ring)" ( ) "Knock your socks off." ( ) "Know the drill." ( ; ) "Let her rip" ( ) "Licked his boots." ( ), "Kissed her boots." ( ) "Like it or not" ( ) "Link in a chain" ( ) "Live (it) down" ( ) "Lose ground" ( ) "Lose our heads." ( ); "Lose your head" ( ) "Lost (his) mind" ( ) "Make a statement" ( ) "Make no mistake" ( ) "Matter of life and death" ( ) "Made your point" ( ) "Mind (your) own business" ( ) "Mission accomplished" ( ) "Multitude of sins" ( ) "My goodness" ( ) "My home is your home." ( ); "This house is your house" ( ) "Nail(ed) down" ( ) "Never mind" ( ) "No comment" ( ) "No doubt" ( et al.) "No go" ) "No matter" ( ) "No matter how" ( ) "No matter what" ( ) "No more" ( ) "No problem" ( ; ) "No sweat" ( ) "Not a chance" ( ) "Not a word" ( ) "Not have a clue" ( ) "Not hold water" ( ) "Not move a muscle" ( ) "Not so fast" ( ) "Now or never" ( ) "Odds and ends" ( ) "Of all people" ( ) "Of a sort" ( ) "Of course" ( et al.) "Of late" ( ) "Of sorts" ( ) "Of the essence" ( ) "Off the beaten path" ( ) "Off the hook" ( ) "Off the record" ( ) "Oh, my gosh" ( ) "On and off" ( ) "Once and for all" ( ) "On death's doorstep." ( ) "One by one" ( ) "One of a kind" ( ) "On guard" ( ) "On hand" ( ) "On schedule" ( ) "On the contrary" ( et al.) "On the double" ( et al.) "On the edge" ( ) "On the hot seat" ( ) "On (their) (own) terms" ( ) "On the job" ( ) "On the level" ( ) "On the nose." ( ) "On the order of" ( ) "On the one hand...on the other hand" ( ) "On the other hand" ( ; ) "On the part of" ( ) "On the spot" ( ) "On the surface" ( ) "On the whole" ( ) "On (your) mind" ( ); "On (his) mind" ( ) "On (your) toes" ( ); "On (our) toes' ( ) "Out in the open" ( ) "Out of action" ( ) "Out of circulation" ( ) "Out of control" ( ) "Out of order" ( ) "Out of sorts" ( ) "Out of style" ( ) "Out of touch" ( ) "Out of the ordinary" ( ) "Out of the question" ( et al.) "Out of your head" ( ); "Out of your heads" ( ) "Out of your mind" ( et al.) "Over my dead body" ( ) "Pass up" ( ) "Pay (their) respects" ( ) "Pay the price" ( et al.) "Piece of cake" ( ) "Piece of the action" ( ) "Play(ing) a hunch" ( ); "Play a hunch" ( ) "Play(ing) cat and mouse" ( ) "Point of no return" ( ) "Point of view" ( ; ) "Poppycock" ( ) "Powder keg" ( ) "Put the genie back in the bottle," and variations thereof. In 2154, Phlox used the cautionary Earth tale about the dangers of releasing a genie from the bottle to warn T'Pol that she may have to live with the emotions she was left with after ingesting trellium-D. ( ) In 2268, Spock told Cyrano Jones that by removing tribbles from their natural habitat, he had figuratively "removed the cork from the bottle and allowed the genie to escape." ( ) "Ride herd on (it)" ( ) "Right down (your) alley" ( ) "(Right) here and now" ( ) "Risk his neck" ( ) "Scared to death" ( ) "Sense of humor" ( ) "Ship out" ( ) "Shoot(ing) in the dark" ( ) "Shoot off (their) mouth" ( ) "Sick to death of (logic)" ( ) "Sing(ing) a different tune" ( ) "Sink(s) in" ( ) "So be it" ( ) "So far" ( ; ) "Sort of" ( ) "Sound of wind and limb" ( ) "Speak of the devil" ( ) "Speak the same language" ( ) "Spit and polish" ( ) "Stab (me) in the back" ( ) "Stake out a claim" ( ) "State of mind" ( ; ) "Stay on top of (it)" ( ) "Stick in (his) craw" ( ) "Strong as a bull" ( ) "Sweep it under the rug" ( ) "Take it easy' ( et al.) "Take (my) word" ( ) "Take (my) chances" ( ) "Talk shop" ( ) "Thank God" ( ) "Thank heavens" ( ) "Thank you" ( et al.) "That's all right" ( ) "The best defense is a (strong) offense" ( ) "The fact is" ( ) "The fat is in the fire." ( ) "The last word" ( ) "The lesser of two evils" ( ) "The other side of the coin" ( ) "The ''status quo" ( ''et al.) "The thing is" ( ) "The top dog" ( ) "Thereby hangs a tale" ( ) "Throw (him) to the wolves" ( ) "Tiger by the tail" ( ) "Time after time" ( ) "Time is of the essence" ( ) "Tin god" ( ) "Tissue of lies" ( ) "To a fine art" ( ) "To boot" ( ) "To coin a phrase" ( ) "To that effect" ( ) "To the contrary" ( ) "To the letter." ( ) "Touch and go" ( ) "Turn(ing) tail and run(ning)" ( ) "Under consideration" ( ) "Under the table" ( ) "Wait a minute" ( et al.) "Watching the store" ( ); "Mind the store" ( ); "Minding the store" ( ) "Watch your tongue" ( ) "What the devil" ( et al.) "Where the devil" ( ) "When in Rome do as the Romans do" ( ) "When the cat's away, the mice will play" ( ) ; however, the second part was not spoken as the Human Nyota Uhura interrupted him with slapping his hand away.}} "What the blazes" ( ) "Where the blazes" ( ) "(Who) the blazes" ( ) "With pleasure" ( ) "With (their) eyes closed" ( ) "(Your) lucky day" ( ) In 2372, Kathryn Janeway believed there would be no way to "put the genie back in the bottle", after the warp 10 barrier was broken. ( ) Maxims "No one is more qualified to write your story than you are." ( ) ::Mark Twain claimed to have always lived by this maxim. Metaphors *"Pulling the plug." ( ; ; ; ) *"Break the ice." ( ) ::In 2151, Captain Jonathan Archer called a planned dinner with Vulcan Captain Vanik a "good way to break the ice." *"The eye of the storm." ( ; ) *"Tip of the iceberg" was a phrase meaning the smaller portion of a larger unseen object, sometimes the most obvious part of a problem. ::In 2153, Commander Charles Tucker called a Vissian Cogenitor's newly-gained ability to read the tip of the iceberg. ( ) ::In 2373, Miles O'Brien tried to cover his tracks when he altered Deep Space 9's systems by telling Benjamin Sisko that it was hard to call that sabotage, since it didn't really pose a threat to the station. Sisko told him that the alterations "might be just the tip of a very large and dangerous iceberg." ( ) *"Double dumb ass on you." ( ) ::This "colorful metaphor" had fallen into disuse between 1986 and 2286, as part of a general trend towards less colorful metaphors. *"Catching someone with their pants down" or "Catching someone with their britches down." ( ; ) *"If you're going to ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prized stallion in the stable." ( ) ::Said to be used where was from. *"Targ manure." ( ) * In 2267, Spock described Trelane's repositioning of the planet Gothos so that it was always in front of the 's flight path as a "cat-and-mouse game," Kirk adding that they were the mouse. ( ) * Commander William T. Riker referred to Manua Apgar who was living isolated with her husband, Tanugan scientist Doctor Nel Apgar on the Tanuga IV science station as "a princess in a very high tower." ( ) .}} * Riker referred to an Earth nursery rhyme, "What Are Little Boys Made Of?", which stated: "Girls are made from sugar and spice, boys are made from snips and snails... and puppy dog tails," to describe the "old-fashioned way of looking at the sexes" to the androgynous Soren. He later clarified that "physically, men are bigger, stronger" and that they "have different sexual organs." He also noted that "men can't bear young." ( ) * When convinced by Kirk and Spock to draw the Companion out into the open so that it could be neutralized, Zefram Cochrane recalled the term "Judas goat," as he regretfully knew that he was leading the Companion into a trap. ( ) , in which Kirk called Balok's pilot vessel a "Judas Goat".}} Proverbs and sayings Atrean "A child born from parents who love each other will have nothing but goodness in his heart." ( ) Bajoran "He who studies evil is studied by evil." ( ) ::Said to be an old saying. "If you're not fighting them, you're helping them." – In the Bajoran Resistance ( ) "The land and the people are one." ( ) Cardassian "Confession is good for the soul." ( ) "Enemies make dangerous friends." ( ) "One man's villain is another man's hero." ( ) Denobulan "When in Fellebia, do as the Fellebians do." ( ) Ferengi The Rules of Acquisition performed a function similar to proverbs in Ferengi culture. The following were quoted as Ferengi sayings, but were not stated to be included in the Rules of Acquisition: "Never ask when you can take." ( ) "A good lie is easier to believe than the truth." ( ) "Good things come in small packages." ( ) "Discretion is the better part of valor." ( ) ::Claimed by Quark to be an old Ferengi saying. Founders "To become a thing is to know a thing. To assume its form is to begin to understand its existence." ( ) "The drop becomes the ocean... The ocean becomes the drop..." ( ) Human "A needle in a haystack." ( ; ) "When in Rome... do as the Romans do." ( ; ; ; ) "Fortune favors the bold." ( ) "As healthy as a horse." ( ) "Easy as pie." ( ) "Power corrupts. And absolute power corrupts absolutely." ( ) )}} "You don't kick a man when he's down." ( ) "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." ( ; ) ::Claimed to be Russian in origin by Pavel Chekov. "No good deed goes unpunished." ( ) "Blood is thicker than water." ( ) "Even the eagle must know when to sleep." ( ) ::Used among Chakotay's people. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." ( ) "May you live in interesting times." ( ) ::Described as "an ancient Chinese curse" by Harry Kim. "A stranger is a friend you just haven't met yet." ( ) ::Michael Sullivan speculated that this might be of Irish origin. "Home is wherever you happen to be." ( ) ::Attributed to Kolopak. "The devil finds work for idle hands." ( ) "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime." ( ) "In for a penny, in for a pound." ( ; ) "All good things must come to an end." ( ; ) "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." ( ) "The early bird gets the worm." ( ) ::This was transformed into "The early bird gets the gagh" by the EMH when addressing B'Elanna Torres. ( ) "Best defense is a good offense." ( ) , when Lieutenant Boma advised Spock, regarding Taurus II anthropoids, "A good offense is the best defense!"}} "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." ( ) "The proof is in the pudding." ( ) "Two heads are better than one." ( ) "The ball's in your court." ( ) "A hundred thousand welcomes." ( ) ::Described as an old (in the 19th century) Irish saying. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." ( ; ) ::Spock claimed this to be "an Arab proverb attributed to a prince who was betrayed and decapitated by his own subjects." ( ) , when he realized that Kira Nerys intended to help Damar's Cardassian Liberation Front fight against the Breen-Dominion Alliance. Garak specifically stated, "My enemy's enemy is my friend, that sort of thing."|The phrase was also cited in the first draft script of (written while that episode had the working title "Untitled Andorians Return"). It was said by Malcolm Reed to sum up how Andorian commander Shran believed a civil war on , in which a corrupt Coridan government was being backed by the Vulcans, with whom the Andorians had a very conflicted history, would escalate into a full-blown war between the Vulcans and Andorians. In reply to Reed using the phrase, Shran admitted, "Something like that."}} "There's a warm wind blowing in from Minicoy." ( ) ::Described by Captain Sisko as an old saying. "Those who can't, coach." ( ) "A man who's always looking over his shoulder is waiting for trouble to find him." ( ) "Time flies when you're having fun." ( ) "Follow your heart." ( ) "The customer's always right." ( ) "To beard the lion in its den." ( ) "Time heals all wounds, but absence makes the heart grow fonder." ( ) "The angels themselves take pleasure in their bodies of light." ::A holographic Lord Byron described this as something that is said. "The way to a woman's heart is through her stomach." ::Attributed by Captain Sisko to his father "Wouldn't hurt a fly." ( ) "sauce for the goose." ( ) "It never rains but it pours." ( ) "Waste not, want not." ( ) "Spare the rod and spoil the child." ( ) "If the shoe fits, wear it." Various Latin phrases and Biblical allusions served a function similar to proverbs in Human society. established "the die is cast" as a mirror universe A cut scene from furthermore mentioned "cut of your jib." A deleted scene from referenced the expression "cut from the same cloth.}} Jem'Hadar "Obedience brings victory." ( ) "Victory is life." ( ) Klingon "Four thousand throats may be cut in one night by a running man with a knife." ( ) "Only a fool fights in a burning house." ( ) "Revenge is a dish that is best served cold." ( ) "You cannot loosen a man's tongue with root beer." ( ) "A doctor who operates on himself has a ''petaQ for a patient." ( ) "''Today is a good day to die." ). Actually originated from the Lakotan warrior .}} "Own the day." ( ) In addition, various sayings of Kahless served a function similar to proverbs in Klingon culture. Mikhal Traveler "My course is as elusive as a shadow across the sky." ( ) Romulan "Never turn your back on a Breen." ( ) In addition, a Romulan commander described the fact that Vulcans are incapable of lying as a well-known saying. ( ) Talaxian "Good news has no clothes." ( ) "When the road before you splits in two, take the third path." ( ) "The dream dreams the dreamer." ( ) Terran Empire "Scared Kelpien makes for tough Kelpien." ( ) Vulcan "Only Nixon could go to China." ( ) "One man can summon the future." ( ) ::Among mirror universe Vulcans, this saying was "One man cannot summon the future." ( ) "In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace." ( ) "Isik for your thoughts" ( ) Xindi "It's easier to count the stars in the sky than it is for an aquatic to reach a decision." ( ) "Dealing with reptilians is like bargaining with the sun. You make no progress, and you come away burned." ( ) "Patience is for the dead." ( ) Other and of unknown origin "It's lonely at the top." – Claimed to be an Arachnian saying by Queen Arachnia. "Stay out of harm's way." – Claimed to be a Chinese expression by Harry Kim, but disputed by Tom Paris "Put the shoe on the right foot first, but put the left foot first into the bathtub." – quoted by Jadzia Dax while under the influence of Saltah'na energy spheres. ( ) "There's no time like the past." – In use by crews of 29th century timeships. ( ) "There's no time like the present." – In use by Starfleet's Temporal Mechanics Department in an alternative 2404. ( ) "The early bird that hesitates gets wormed." "Little birds in their nest get along." ( ) "Once a thief." ( ) "Beware Romulans bearing gifts." ( ) had Quark mentioning "The twist of your tulamak," which was implied to be analogous to "the cut of your jib."}} but not in canon Star Trek. In the "Chosen Realm" script, the phrase was said in the teaser by Travis Mayweather, in reply to Charles Tucker III commenting – during the Xindi mission – that he believed the crew of was growing accustomed to experiencing turbulence while in cloaking barriers.}} Comparisons "Healthy as a Rigellian ox." ( ) "Hot as ." ( ) "Dry as ." ( ) "Colder than a Breen winter." ( ) "Blind as a stump." ( ) "Bigger than Elvis." ( ) "Rich as Rockefeller." ( ) "Poor as a church mouse." ( ) "Clear as Tabalian glass." ( ) "Busier than an Alvanian beehive." ( ) "Touchier than a raw antimatter pile." ( "Quiet as a Zyznian church mouse." ( ) "Dropping like flies." ( ) "Crystal clear." ( ; ; ) "Peaceful as sheep." ( ) "As right as rain." ( ) and }} Other expressions Be careful what you wish for In 2285, after "Mr. Adventure" complained that he wanted more challenges, adventure and surprises in his life, Uhura said "be careful what you wish for" and locked him in a closet. ( ) In 2373, upon Tom Paris saying to B'Elanna Torres that he wouldn't mind seeing her Klingon side again, Torres warned him to be careful what he'd wished for. ( ) In 2377, when 204 Klingons came aboard Voyager, Torres said that she should be careful what she wished for, after six years of feeling uncomfortable being the only Klingon aboard for. ( ) Between a rock and a hard place Being "between a rock and a hard place" was an Earth idiom, meaning that someone was in a situation where he or she could choose between two alternatives, and neither of them were acceptable. In 1986, Bob Briggs told Gillian Taylor, they're "between a rock and a hard place" regarding the fate of George and Gracie. ( ) Bird in a gilded cage To be a bird in a gilded cage was to live in luxury without freedom. In 2268, Kirk described the crew of the on the planet Mudd as birds in a gilded cage and asked how they could escape, to which Pavel Chekov replied that he had no ideas but that it was a very nice gilded cage. Kirk reminded everyone that despite it containing their deepest desires, it was a cage nonetheless and that they belonged back on the Enterprise. ( ) Can't see the forest for the trees To say one "can't see the forest for the trees" was an Earth idiom, meaning that one was so caught up in small details that they were not able to see the bigger picture. In 2373, Miles O'Brien felt he hadn't been able to see the forest for the trees when it was Rom who explained to him that the modifications that he had been making to equipment on Deep Space 9 on the orders of a Pah-wraith that had possessed his wife were designed to turn the station into a chroniton array aimed at the Bajoran wormhole, one which could kill the Prophets. ( ) Caught with one's pants down To be caught with your pants/britches down was to be found in the act of doing something which left one in an embarrassing position. In 2285, James T. Kirk characterized his having been trapped by Khan Noonien Singh as having been caught with his britches down, a fact he attributed to his own supposed senility. ( ) In 2366, Geordi La Forge opined that Romulan defector Alidar Jarok was correct about Romulan activity at Nelvana III, and that the Romulans would indeed be caught with their pants down. Data, unfamiliar with the phrase, questioned what he meant, and La Forge explained. ( ) Caught with one's hand in the cookie jar To be "caught with one's hand in the cookie jar" was to be found to be accessing something that was not one's own. In 2151, had Hoshi Sato decrypt a message from the Vulcans and found it was a personal letter meant for T'Pol. When expressing his embarrassment at having inadvertently snooped on her private business, he said that he felt as though he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. ( ) C'est la vie "C'est la vie" (French: "that's life") was a Human idiom, meaning bad things happen, it was the way of life. In 2285, when Admiral James Kirk self-destructed the USS Enterprise, killing most of Kruge's Klingon crew on board, he told the commander on the surface of the : "Sorry about your crew, but as we say on Earth, ...'c'est la vie. " ( ) Chicken and the egg The "chicken and the egg" was a paradox, usually posed as the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" In an alternate anti-time future created by Q, retired captain Jean-Luc Picard, used the question of the chicken the egg as a metaphor to explain the paradox of the anti-time anomaly to Geordi La Forge, Beverly Picard, Data, and William Riker aboard the . ( ) In 2372, Torres described establishing communication with a duplicate of the by getting them to recalibrate their comm frequency carrier wave before they'd first made contact as "the chicken and the egg." ( ) In the 31st century, Jonathan Archer described ' urgent need to restore the original timeline by returning the to the 22nd century while lacking the technology to do so as "a chicken or the egg problem." ( ) Archer again said "Chicken or the egg" after Daniels had sent back in time to 1944 to stop Vosk's temporal incursions, and it became apparent that the timeline had changed prior to the 1940s, with Lenin's death in 1916. ( ) .}} Clean their chronometers Colonel West, while proposing Operation Retrieve, assured the Federation President that should the operation precipitate a full-scale war with the Klingon Empire, Starfleet could quite frankly "clean their chronometers." ( ) Credits to navy beans A Federation variation on "dollars to doughnuts", this referred to wagering something of value against something relatively worthless – in other words, "I'll bet you anything..." ( ) Dining on ashes James Kirk asked if Spock was dining on ashes after finding him seemingly reflecting on the betrayal of Valeris. ( ) Falling on deaf ears "Falling on deaf ears" meant something that some believe should be heeded was not. Weyoun once told Major Kira that her pleas to have Rom not executed for terrorism would fall on deaf ears. ( ) In 2372, Neelix believed diplomatic negotiation with the Botha might fall on deaf ears. ( In 2374, The Doctor complained that his requests for a larger sickbay were falling on deaf ears. ' ) For all the tea in China "For all the tea in China" meant something was so important to a person, he or she wouldn't exchange it for even the most precious things in the world. In 1986, Gillian Taylor told time traveler Admiral James Kirk, when he explained to her that they wanted to bring George and Gracie to the 23rd century, and asked her if she was curious about the details, she said, "I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in China." ( ) Handing someone something on a silver platter This term referred to something that was offered to someone in a rather obvious manner. In 2375, Neelix offered B'Elanna Torres the chance to insult his cooking by telling her to name her poison. After she missed that chance, he seemed disappointed, claiming he'd handed it to her on a silver platter. ( ) Have the hide of To have the hide of someone was to chastise someone severely. In 2269, according to Dickerson, Kirk promised to have the hide of the first man to smile or otherwise react with amusement to the appearance of President Abraham Lincoln on the Enterprise. ( ) Having one's head on a platter This expression meant that the person saying it was angry at someone and intended to punish them for their actions. In 2369, Benjamin Sisko warned Kira Nerys that he would have her head on a platter if she went over his head one more time. ( ) I couldn't fill your shoes "I couldn't fill your shoes" was a Human idiom, describing one being in a bad situation, which the other person couldn't bear. In 2286, Leonard McCoy told Spock, when he suffered from memory loss after being resurrected, "What I mean is I may have carried your soul, but I sure couldn't fill your shoes," to which Spock replied, "My shoes?" ( ) If we play our cards right "If we play our cards right" was a Human idiom, meaning "if things go well." In 1986, Admiral Kirk used this idiom when talking to Spock, leading Spock to ask "How will playing cards help?" ( ) Joined at the hip This term referred to people being so close to one another as to appear inseparable (physically or emotionally) In 2369, Q described himself and Vash as "A team, joined together at the hip." ( ) After being temporarily telepathically linked with Jean-Luc Picard on Kesprytt III in 2370, Beverly Crusher remarked that she was happy not to be joined to Picard's hip anymore. ( ) In an alternate version of the year 2390, Harry Kim called Chakotay and his girlfriend Tessa Omond as close as to be joined at the hip. ( ) Keep it under your hat Upon learning that Quark was aware that Odo was ill, Miles O'Brien requested that Quark keep that information under his hat. ( ) May God have mercy upon your soul "May God have mercy upon your soul" was a phrase used in some ancient Earth cultures upon sentencing a person to execution. It was used in that capacity during Worf's 2371 promotion ceremony, which included holodeck roleplaying on an and involved him walking the plank. ( ) A variant of the phrase, "May God have mercy on our souls," was used by Malcolm Reed to end his final log entry when stranded in and he believed there was no chance of rescue. ( ) Media circus "Media circus" was a Human idiom which described a news event where the coverage was out of proportion to the event itself. In 1986, Gillian Taylor described to James T. Kirk the farewell ceremony for George and Gracie as a potential media circus. ( ) My mind's turned to clay This expression was used by Geordi La Forge in the running up to the battle of Wolf 359. ( ) Needle in a haystack "Needle in a haystack" was a Human idiom which described the long-lasting search for something in a large variety of possibilities. In 2267, when searching for the , James Kirk remarked to High Commissioner , "Finding a needle in a haystack would be child's play." ( ) In 2364, William Riker described searching Starfleet records for an instance of someone showering in their clothes as "like looking for a needle in a haystack." ( ) In 2369 while searching for the crash landed runabout in the Gamma Quadrant, Miles O'Brien compared the search with searching a needle in a haystack. O'Brien and Jadzia Dax had to search several planets, two dozen moons, and an asteroid belt. ( ) In 2370, a Paradan replicant of commented "Needle in a haystack wouldn't do this job justice" when searching for a fault in Deep Space 9's upper pylons. ( ) In 2373, Jadzia Dax said to Benjamin Sisko "Do the words 'needle in a haystack' mean anything to you," after the had spent two days unsuccessfully searching the Badlands for cloaked missiles appropriated by the Maquis for a strike against Cardassia. ( ) Over my dead body This expression meant "You'll have to kill me to make that happen." It was used by Captain Christopher in 1969 and again by Brunt in 2374. ( ; ) Penny for your thoughts "A penny for your thoughts" was a Human idiom, meaning that someone was curious about what the other person was thinking. In 2368, Doctor Beverly Crusher used the expression when she wanted to get Jean-Luc Picard to talk to her during a conversation. When Picard asked her if she has one, she told him that the replicator probably has it on file. ( ) In 2369, when Q brought back Picard to the incident at Starbase Earhart in 2327, he told him (acting as a bartender): "Penny for your thoughts? You never told me you were such a lady's man," also jokingly referring to Picard's unsuccessful date with Penny Muroc. ( ) In 2370, Crusher used the expression again, dining with Picard, after they shared thoughts for a time via the psi-wave device on Kesprytt III. ( ) Playing twenty questions Rather than playing an actual guessing game, this meant to make somebody ask questions rather than telling them directly what a problem or the answer was. When Harry Kim claimed to be an American during the Hirogen simulation of World War II in 2374, Tom Paris became annoyed at the man's refusal to answer him, saying he didn't have time to play twenty questions. ( ) Kathryn Janeway told Neelix the same thing when he was less than forthcoming about the delicate issue of non-functioning lavatories on in 2375. ( ) Playing possum To "play possum" was to feign death when an enemy approached. In 2377, when Chakotay suggested the Hirogen might be laying a trap for Voyager, Kathryn Janeway dismissed the idea, saying that the Hirogen "aren't the type to play possum". ( ) Preaching to the choir "Preaching to the choir" was a phrase used to describe someone who was trying to convince another who was already a believer. In 2365, Phillipa Louvois told Bruce Maddox he was preaching to the choir when he attempted to explain the usefulness of having a Data aboard every starship. ( ) Rich beyond the dreams of avarice Doctor Leonard McCoy managed to convince Dr. Nichols to accept the formula for transparent aluminum as compensation for his services by saying that once he figured out the dynamics of the matrix (which would take years), he'd be rich beyond the dreams of avarice. ( ) Sauce for the goose The Earth idiom "what's sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander," was in part spoken by Spock following Saavik's notation that Khan Noonien Singh, aboard the was following the into the Mutara Nebula. In response, Spock stated stated "sauce for the goose, Mr. Saavik." ( ) Stone knives and bearskins "Stone knives and bearskins" was a colorful term employed by Spock to describe the 1930s technology he was forced to use to construct a tricorder interface. Vital information was locked within Spock's tricorder: How had Leonard McCoy changed history? Spock was eventually able to construct an appropriate circuit, but retrieved two separate recordings: one in which Edith Keeler lived, and one in which she died. At that point, the improvised interface erupted in sparks and flame, ruining his chance to learn which of the recordings represented McCoy's alteration, and which the correct timeline. ( ) Kathryn Janeway also used this expression when typing on a late 20th century computer keyboard trying to find out information about Henry Starling. ( ) The real McCoy "The real McCoy" described anything which was the genuine article in question, not merely a facsimile thereof. In 2374, Vic Fontaine revealed to Odo that a new improved version of the "Lola Chrystal" hologram was in fact Kira Nerys, who the hologram's features were based on, and that the Changeling had been dancing with the real McCoy. ( ) In 2375, " " classified Chakotay, unlike himself, to be "the real McCoy", (i.e. not a Species 8472 recreation of a Starfleet officer) and recommended "Valerie Archer" perform a genetic extraction in order to figure out a better way for members of Species 8472 to maintain a Human appearance. ( ) The whole kit and caboodle "The whole kit and caboodle" referred to the entirety of something. In 2152, commenting that it was completely gone, referred to a from the 31st century and its contents as "the whole kit and caboodle". ( ) In 2268, Montgomery Scott claimed to have transported "the whole kit and caboodle" of tribbles into the 's engine room. ( ) Wash my hands of it "Wash my hands of it" was an expression used to avert a wrong decision, claiming that the person could not be held responsible for it. It came from the Bible, and was said by Pilate after he sentenced Jesus Christ to crucifixion, as demanded by the crowd; however, Pilate saw he was apparently innocent. In 2266, Doctor Simon Van Gelder accused Captain Kirk of escaping responsibility by taking him back to the Tantalus Colony, and told him, "You smart, button-pushing brass hat. Wash your hands of it. Is that your system? You're both quite sure of yourselves, aren't you?" ( ) Wild goose chase "Wild goose chase" was an expression used to mean futile pursuit or search after something. In 2153, Jonathan Archer told T'Pol "Maybe we're just on a wild goose chase" after their initial attempts to locate a dark matter nebula failed. ( ) In 2268, Leonard McCoy accused Spock of "running off on some wild goose chase halfway across the galaxy" when Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov disappeared from Gamma II. Spock replied, "Doctor, I am chasing the captain, Lieutenant Uhura, and Ensign Chekov, not some wild aquatic fowl." ( ) Later that year, Spock described M-5 multitronic unit's diversionary tactics as "pursuing a wild goose." ( ) After Katherine Pulaski was abducted by Professor in 2365, Geordi La Forge believed she planned "to lead Data on a wild goose chase and then recount the story to everyone between here and Alpha Centauri." ( ) In 2367, Data told Doctor Crusher that he "could be chasing an untamed ornithoid without a cause," describing this idiom, when examining the clues of Ambassador 's presumed death. Crusher eventually recognized the idiom, and corrected him with its common form. ( ) In 2368, Jean-Luc Picard commented that the 's investigation of a Barolian freighter's activities at Galorndon Core "may prove to be a wild goose chase." ( ) In 2369, Picard told Deanna Troi that his continuation of Professor Richard Galen's research was not a case of his taking the Enterprise and its crew on a wild goose chase. ( ) In 2371, Kira Nerys told Tom Riker that if she had hijacked the as he had, she "wouldn't have gone flying off into the middle of Cardassia on some wild goose chase." ( ) In 2372, Kathryn Janeway was concerned that investigating "Planet Hell" might prove to be a wild goose chase. ( ) , Jadzia Dax begins to recount a wild goose chase on Elanu IV, involving Curzon Dax and Benjamin Sisko.}} With one's name on it Having one's name on something meant that the object in question belonged to or was reserved for them. In 2372, Julian Bashir assured Odo that there was a Spitfire with his name on it in the hangar if he wanted to join the Battle of Britain holoprogram. Later, Joseph Sisko told his grandson there was a vat of crayfish that needed cleaning with his name on it. ( ) In 2375, Miles O'Brien told Janel Tigan he was not looking forward to seeing Captain Sisko again, as he had a boot with O'Brien's name on it. ( ) In 2377, Reginald Barclay offered Deanna Troi a drink. When she declined, he tried to tempt her, saying he had a chocolate passion punch with her name on it. ( ) Sight for sore eyes Something was said to be a "sight for sore eyes" when it was pleasing to look at. In 2376, Harry Kim remarked that he would not want to bunk with the great explorers of the past. Tom Paris remarked that that would be a sight for sore eyes. ( ) Shortly thereafter, after making contact with Voyager again, Lyndsay Ballard remarked that Captain Janeway was a sight for sore eyes. ( ) Later that year, the con artist Dala used the expression sarcastically upon seeing Tuvok. ( ) .}} Be careful what you wish for In 2285, after "Mr. Adventure" complained that he wanted more challenges, adventure and surprises in his life, Uhura said "be careful what you wish for" and locked him in a closet. ( ) In 2373, upon Tom Paris saying to B'Elanna Torres that he wouldn't mind seeing her Klingon side again, Torres warned him to be careful what he'd wished for. ( ) Second wind Finding a second wind meant regaining energy after a certain activity had gotten tired. During a 2153 engine test aboard Enterprise, field fluctuations dropped to zero, which lead captain Archer to suggest that they had gotten their second wind. That impression was incorrect. ( ) Upon James Kirk asking Montgomery Scott if the Enterprise could hold its speed while rushing to the Genesis Planet in 2285, Scott remarked in the affirmative, saying that she had just gotten her second wind. ( ) See also *Biblical quotations *Latin phrases *Nautical terms *Rhetorical question *Slang *Gestural idiom *Athletic parlance External links * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** de:Liste von Redewendungen Category:Linguistics Category:Philosophy Category:Literary devices Category:Deleted and unused material in background